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Transportation
Home » Thailand » Bangkok Overview and History » TransportationThe average tourist in Bangkok uses taxis to get around. Usually very easy to find, the taxis operate on a meter system instead of bargaining, which is much less of a hassle. Most taxi drivers understand enough English to get you where you want to go. Riding in a taxi is not for the faint hearted. Trips in the city are usually in “stop and go” traffic, but traveling on highways to the airport or outlaying areas will quite an adventure if the taxi driver is typical. Buckle your seatbelt if you have one! Fortunately, mass transportation has been greatly updated in recent years with the opening of the Sky Train, an above ground monorail-like system, and the underground subway, which opened in 2004. A little effort to figure out how to use these systems can save you tons of time by not having to sit in traffic. Other public transportation options include the famous river taxis. Tourists love the opportunity to see the city from the river’s edge and these river taxis make travel to several of the famous temples very easy. Bangkok also has an extensive bus system that is not recommended for the international traveler unless you happen to be fluent in reading and speaking Thais. The system and routes are too complicated for the average traveler! In the same light, renting a car and driving yourself is not recommended in the city of Bangkok. There are lots of one-way roads and confusing intersections and road signs that are only in the Thai language.
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